Patriots in the woods

Sons, daughters and children of the American Revolution gather at Dawes


As Private Jim Coffey, 55, cocked his heavy flintlock musket and sighted down its long barrel, a low rumble of thunder echoed somewhere far off in the distance. In his bright red British coat, white pants and tall hat, Coffey would have made an easy target for any colonial soldier hiding behind a nearby tree. But no soldiers were hiding in the woods this day. This was a friendly gathering of patriots; some dressed in period attire, others in t-shirts, shorts and sandals. Although attendees didn’t have to worry about getting hit by musket balls, they did have to dodge a few raindrops.

About 75 men, women and children met last Saturday in the shelter house at Dawes Arboretum. The event was the First Annual Pal-Wow of a variety of related groups including the SAR (Sons of the American Revolution), DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and C.A.R., (Children of the American Revolution). “These organizations all promote patriotism, preserve historic sites and foster education,” said Marilyn Vaglia, state president of Colonial Dames of America. “It’s a fascinating hobby.” The meeting was put together by Keith Kaufman, president of the Rufus Putnam Chapter of the SAR based in Zanesville. Kaufman said the purpose of the gathering was to reach out to other SAR groups and similar organizations in surrounding counties. “We hope to get some more members involved, especially younger members.”
Although gatherings and reenactments of America’s Civil War are fairly numerous in Ohio, Revolutionary War events are few and far between. Kaufman estimates SAR membership at less than 1,400 in Ohio compared to several thousand members in similar Civil War-period groups. “There is only one Revolutionary War reenactment in Ohio that I know of,” he said.
One of the reasons for lower membership in groups like SAR and DAR is due to the difficulty in tracing one’s lineage back to the 18th Century. Early records are often missing and family names were not always spelled the same. In order to join one of these groups an applicant must provide some kind of documented proof of relationship to someone who had a connection to the American Revolution.
Joe Langlitz, 17, is a member of the C.A.R. from Cincinnati. “It’s fun to hang with other people my age in these patriotic activities,” he said. Langlitz has been involved with the group for about four years. He traces his lineage back to Cpt. John Linton from Virginia who fought at Valley Forge. Linton was Langlitz’s fifth great grandfather. Langlitz will start college in this fall at Boston University. He plans to study archaeology.
Amanda Seely, 17, is president of Ohio’s C.A.R. and says being part of the group is helpful in many ways. “We learn leadership, get comfortable with public speaking…and it looks good on college applications too.”
Is there a Revolutionary War soldier in your past? “Start looking with your own parents,” suggests Vaglia. “It’s fairly easy to trace your relatives back to the Civil War period.” Vaglia said that if someone has a Civil War connection, the odds are they may also have a Revolutionary War connection. She suggests looking in census records, land deeds, wills, church records and baptismal records for family names.
Nola Rogers, president of the Licking County Genealogical Society, says it’s important to get today’s youth involved in patriotic groups. “It helps kids take pride in themselves. Many young people are drifting away, but patriotism builds pride.” Carol Montrose of New Albany researches and writes about Ohio’s history. “History means so much more to you when you know your ancestors played a part in it,” she said.
The beauty and serenity of Dawes Arboretum was not the only reason this first annual get-together was held there. William Dawes reportedly rode with Paul Revere. “He was just as important as Paul…but Paul was better at self-promotion,” quipped one of the SAR members. As Saturday’s meeting came to a close, three costumed patriots marched through the woods to an old graveyard located on the grounds. Tim Ward of Burton, Ohio, a “Bluecoat,” lead the procession with an American flag. The other two men carried wreaths in honor of the six Revolutionary War soldiers buried there.
For more information about the SAR and similar groups, visit the web site at www.sar.org or email Keith Kaufman at kkaufman@netpluscom.com. For information about the Dawes Arboretum, call (740) 323-2355 or visit www.dawesarb.org online.